Evostik Southern League Premier Division
Westwood Road, St Ives,
Wednesday 23rd September 2015

Brakes turned in a cracking performance away from home, coming from behind to take the points as Ben Mackey got back on the goal trail.

It was the perfect antidote after a tumultuous weekend which saw a disappointing no score draw against Weymouth followed by the departure from the club of Assistant Manager Liam O'Neill, but if anybody doubted that the team were not performing for Paul Holleran they proved emphatically at the temporary St Ives home of Cambridge City that that is certainly not the case with a sparkling performance full of endeavour, desire and most importantly, goals.

With both sides committed to attack there were plenty of chances. Richard Taundry carved out the first with a mazy run into City penalty area, nutmegging one defender and going past a second before drawing the first of a number of fine saves from Zac Barrett, who darted off his line to block.

Lee Chilton has made a high octane start to his second spell at the club and produced another man of the match display as he led the Lilywhites defence a merry dance at times, and he clattered the underside of the bar with a searching strike from distance.

Adam Murray sent a header well wide for the hosts while Jack Edwards blazed high and wide for Leamington and Taundry saw a low drive saved.

Murray saw his shot deflected by James Mace through to Tony Breeden as Cambridge moved the ball quickly up to the edge of Brakes penalty area, before Josh Dawkin opened the scoring with a sublime finish to a break up the right wing from a Leamington corner, cutting inside before curving a low drive across goal and into the bottom corner with the outside of his right boot past the diving Breeden.

Edwards forced another flying save from Barrett as Paul Holleran's men aimed for a quick response, connecting with a right wing cross first time which was turned over by the keeper.

Parity was swiftly restored within 7 minutes however, Lee Chilton collecting a smart pass from Taundry and winning the ball back before delivering the perfect cross for Mackey to nod home from close range.

Edwards stabbed another effort wide of goal before Taundry was involved again as Leamington moved ahead 4 minutes before half time, spraying the ball from left touchline to right, enabling Ben George to charge onto it and fire in another inviting cross that was met by a thumping header from Edwards which was blocked by another super stop from Barrett, only for Mackey to scramble in the loose ball.

Cambridge defender Tom Pepper sustained a head injury in his attempts to prevent the second goal, and left the field on a stretcher applauded by both sets of supporters.

Murray almost got the better of Connor Gudger as half time approached but the left back stayed with him and his shot was scuffed into the hands of Breeden.

There was time for a very close call before the whistle as the ball looped into the air and struck the crossbar as Leamington scrambled to try and clear.

The hosts came out of the blocks quickly in the second half, having two shots blocked before goalscorer screwed another horribly wide. Taundry drove over the bar from a loose defensive header before Barrett produced two more fantastic saves in quick succession, first denying the busy Lee Moore as he crashed a shot first time towards goal following good work down the right from George and substitute Will Green. The ball was only cleared as far as Gudger 25 yards out, and he sent a piledriver of a shot towards goal that Barrett managed to push over for a corner.

The contrast from the Weymouth performance was marked, every man in a blue shirt was giving 110%, working hard to win the ball back if they lost it and moving quickly from defence to attack with some incisive confident passing. On several occasions they threatened to carve through the hosts defence only to let themselves down with the final pass.

Joe Magunda drove another effort over the bar and substitute Ross Oulton came close to adding a third when he got the right side of the Cambridge defence, dragging a low effort across goal and inches past the far post. The single goal proved to be enough however, and despite the best efforts of the home side Leamington always seemed to have the edge and continued to push forward even in the closing stages. Their third win on the road this season lifts them to second in the table.

Attendance: 151

Cambridge City: Zac Barrett, Tom Pepper (14 Alex Serrano, 44), Charlie Day, Phil Ojapah, Lee Chaffey, Buster Harradine © , Ieuan Lewis, Jon Kaye (16 Joel Norris, 71), Danny Kelly, Adam Murray, Josh Dawkin, Andrew Phillips.

Subs not used: 15 Fernando Garcia.

Leamington: Tony Breeden © , Ben George, Connor Gudger, Joe Magunda, Jamie Hood, James Mace, Lee Moore, Richard Taundry (14 Ross Oulton, 84), Ben Mackey (12 Will Green, 67), Jack Edwards, Lee Chilton.

Subs not used: 15 James Fry, 16 Reece Mitchell, 17 Eddie Caviezel-Cox (GK)

Referee: Mr James Whittaker Jnr

Assistant Referees: Mr Lee Grimsey & Mr Douglas Lawson

Brakes Man of the Match: Lee Chilton